Hunter had stumbled across the middle courtyard a few days ago by accident, and it had quickly become one of his favorite places to occupy. It was wonderful for when he had some extra time between classes to escape the confines of the castle, but not enough time to escape to the grounds. He stepped into it now on purpose, hoping to enjoy the comfortable breeze for a little while before he had to return to class.

Sitting down on the grass, Hunter leaned his back against the side of the fountain that was located in the center of the square area. He set his schoolbooks down beside him and loosened his tie, glancing up at the clear blue sky and feeling a smile creep onto his face. He loved the outdoors. He needed to be outside. With a content sound, he pulls his potions book out from the middle of his pile of supplies and opens it to where he left off. So far, potions was the only subject he'd shown any real promise at, and he intended to keep it that way! He located the page that talked about Forgetfulness potions, and began to read.

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Last edited by Hunter VanDerberg on Wed May 25, 2016 5:30 pm; edited 4 times in total

Grace was exploring. She was constantly getting lost on her way to her classes, so she thought she would learn the layout of the castle as best as she could. She wasn't quite sure exactly where all she had wandered, but she now knew how to get back to the Hufflepuff common room about six different ways. "I'm sure that'll come in handy one day." she thought, laughing quietly to herself and continuing her wandering journey.

Gracee quickly found herself in a corridor that she wasn't familiar with. "Oh no. Not this again." She had already had to stop and ask for directions multiple times, and she really didn't want to go through that again. Grace continued down the corridor and found a walkway that lead outside about halfway down. She shrugged and walked through it. "Ehhh. What do I have to lose?" she joked.

As she walked through, Grace stopped to let her eyes adjust the different light. It finally dawned on her that she had managed to find herself outside in a courtyard. She took in her surroundings and noted that there weren't too many people in the courtyard from what she could tell. She saw a boy leaning against a fountain, reading a book. But that was about it. As she wasn't exactly sure where she was, she decided she might as well ask. Grace slowly walked over to the boy, and, hoping she wasn't interrupting anything too important, sat down beside him. "Ummm...excuse me. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling me where exactly we are?" she asked shyly, looking over at him.

Engrossed in his book, Hunter hadn't noticed anyone else enter the courtyard until somebody took a seat on the ground next to him. He glanced up to see a pretty, dark-haired girl around his age looking toward him. He tilted his head slightly as she spoke, and cracked a grin at the girl when she'd finished. "Normally, I wouldn't be the best person to ask, since it's normally me who's lost," he replied with a laugh, "but it just so happens that you're in luck, catching me somewhere I'm familiar with!"

He checked his watch quickly before continuing, just to be sure he still had some time before class. "This is the Transfiguration Courtyard," he informed her, his tone friendly. "Great Hall's that way," he added, pointing toward one of the passageways branching off from the courtyard. He flipped his potions book closed and tossed it on top of his pile of school supplies. He stretched his legs out in front of him and turned to get a better look at the girl.

She was definitely a first year. He remembered seeing her at the sorting, not to mention she'd gotten lost. Only first years got lost, he would imagine. He couldn't remember what house she'd been sorted into, and he couldn't tell from her apparel, but he offered her a smile and introduced himself. "I'm Hunter, by the way. Hunter VanDerberg. I'm in Gryffindor. First year," he informed her easily.

Grace smiled as the boy answered her. She was glad that someone knew where they were. It was so easy to get lost in the castle. She listened as he told her the way to the Great Hall, and tried to commit it to memory. It was so peaceful in the courtyard that she thought she might enjoy coming back sometime. “Oh, I know. I’ve had an awful time getting around. I’m so easily distracted that I tend to not pay attention to where I’m going.” Grace told him, laughing quietly.

As she watched the boy put his book down, she realized she had seen him before, but she couldn’t place him. After a few seconds, it finally hit her.“The sorting ceremony!” she thought, proud of herself for actually remembering a face. Grace had met so many people in the past few days, and she was having trouble keeping everyone straight. Being able to recognize one face was a small victory. Now to just find a way to remember everybody else's.

Grace looked back at the boy as he introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you, Hunter." she replied, smiling back at him. "I'm Grace Turner. I'm in Hufflepuff, and I'm a confused first year." She laughed softly, realizing how true that was. This whole thing was a huge change. "Oh well, I'll eventually get used to it."she thought, brushing her bangs back out of her face. "This place can be a little overwhelming at times, can't it?" she asked him, unsure if every first year had this much trouble or if it was just her.[/color][/color]

"Aren't we all?" Hunter agreed as the girl introduced herself as a confused first year. "I feel like I'll never get the hang of this place. I'm muggleborn. I grew up in a little farmhouse with three siblings, my parents and my grandma. So yeah, I think it's safe to say that it's overwhelming," he laughed. It was true. He could probably fit a hundred of his house into Hogwarts.

"Anyway," he continued, glancing around the courtyard. "I doubt you've had as much trouble as me. I've gotten lost at least a dozen times and got locked out of my common room once already. Forgot the password," he said, smiling sheepishly. "Not to mention I got attacked by a [i]staircase,[i]" he added incredulously. "I was just trying to get up to the seventh floor, and then all of a sudden I sunk right into a stair. Like quick sand!"

Hunter shook his head, laughing lightly at himself. "So, do you like Hufflepuff?" he asked the girl curiously. "I thought for sure that's where I'd end up. It sounded like the best house when I heard about them on the train. Apparently, I'm braver than I thought, to end up in Gryffindor," he grinned.